Moved by the plight of a poor, struggling farm-ing community in Malawi, where his grandparents once lived, Frank Nantongwe has inspired his Wymondham church to prov-ide more than �1,200 for this year's harvest - ensuring food for its 500 villagers.

Moved by the plight of a poor, struggling farm-ing community in Malawi, where his grandparents once lived, Frank Nantongwe has inspired his Wymondham church to prov-ide more than �1,200 for this year's harvest - ensuring food for its 500 villagers.

"The money bought fertiliser in time for the planting season. The villagers are very excited - the harvest is now growing, so there will be enough food for the year, after the Malawi government withdrew their aid package," said Frank, a member of Hope Community Church (www.hccw.co.uk).

He visits Chapita - the village in southern Africa - to assess ongoing needs, oversee developments and help raise awareness on his return. To date, schools and churches across the county have provided a lifeline for the arable farming society that has no commercial enterprise and state welfare to off-set the problems of drought and crop failure.

Chapita, like other villages in Malawi, relies on aid to break the poverty cycle. Most of the peasant farmers live in temporary mud huts without electricity or running water and walk long distances to hospital. Children are usually employed on their parents' smallholdings to provide for school necessities such as stationery.

Donations have helped fund water, arable, livestock and transport projects as well as secondary education for some youngsters. Hope Community Church raised the fertiliser money, and an emergency fund, from the offering at the Christmas Carols by Candlelight Service last year. Some church members staged fundraising events to provide for five bicycles. The vital transport can also be hired out to generate a maintenance income.

"Need is ongoing. We are now looking to develop the livestock project to buy more goats to provide meat, fertiliser, milk and breeding possibilities," said Frank.

For details, email fnantongwe@hotmail.com